ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. face — part of the head
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. capital — a city
  7. deal — to handle
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. ball — a dance
  11. last — final
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. last — to go on
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. capital — money
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. branch — a division
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. last — finally
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com